ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · squash · present · wave · cabinet · jam · court · bass

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. present — a gift
  3. squash — to crush
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. present — the time now
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. court — of law
  21. bass — low music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com